Redrow development wins top biodiversity award for nature rich habitats

A Redrow development in Bedfordshire has been named a winner at the Big Biodiversity Challenge Awards.

Caddington Woods, in Chaul End, was named Habitat Creation Project of the Year, in the large - medium scale biodiversity enhancement (5ha and above) category, for its transformation of a 6,500-space car park into a place where people and wildlife can flourish alongside each other.

Part of the CIRIA’s Big Biodiversity Challenge, formed in 2014, the awards recognise biodiversity enhancement of new sites, developments and existing buildings and are prestigious accolades within the construction industry.

Announcing Caddington Woods as a worthy winner, judges said: “The judges felt this scheme has great long term considerations, good options for replicability, and good permeability for wildlife. The high Biodiversity Net Gain shows strong biodiversity values from the developer. The partnership in place and the excellent engagement with the community makes it a strong winner. It was great to see that the financial requirements of maintaining the site were considered for the long term.”

Alongside new homes, we have created an abundance of nature-rich habitats on the 22-hectare Caddington Woods site, formerly used as a vehicle storage facility.

After acquiring the land, we devised a long-term strategy to improve the site’s natural assets, partnering with Central Bedfordshire Council and General Motors, which had owned the land since the 1950s.

New habitats for wildlife include species-rich grassland and native shrub planting, which help the project achieve a forecast 63% Biodiversity Net Gain and provide a blueprint for us to replicate at future developments.

Seeking support from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and RSPB, the team committed to designing green and blue spaces for wildlife to be able to thrive and to enhance residents’ wellbeing. This includes retaining the existing woodland, with a management plan in place to improve its condition as well as the creation of new ponds and the introduction of ‘bee and bug hotels’ and ‘hedgehog highways’.

The development also features eight hectares of green public open space for residents and the local community to enjoy, including a play area.

Nicola Johansen, our Group biodiversity manager, said: “Our Nature for People biodiversity strategy, which was created in partnership with The Wildlife Trust, seeks to put the natural environment at the heart of our developments and the lives of the people who live there.

“The strategy includes a net gain approach to biodiversity, ensuring every development has green space and communal areas where wildlife can flourish. Caddington Woods is a standout example of this strategy in action and we are thrilled that it’s been recognised at this year’s Big Biodiversity Awards.”

The Caddington community has also been involved throughout the scheme. Around 200 children from two local schools completed an art project to create mosaic tiles for the villages’ new community centre, which reflected local and nature-related themes including ‘wildlife’ and ‘woodland’. An expert from the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire also hosted a community talk on how to help hedgehogs at the development.

Commenting on the award win, Suzanne Irons, South Midlands sales director, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the team at Caddington Woods and their commitment to creating wildlife-friendly habitats. We’re proud to be building a better place for both nature and our new homeowners to live. We’re looking forward to celebrating this award with the team behind Caddington Wood and the local community, who we hope will enjoy watching wildlife thrive here for many years.”

To find out more about the awards please see here.

To find out more about our approach to sustainability and our Nature for People strategy please visit our page dedicated to sustainability.